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IT Cetification Exam MEGA-Thread

^ Ya, good luck on Thursday! I'm sure the path to MCITP is no joke, so ya rest up before the next level. Too much at once and you'll forget some of what you learn (or at least that's what happens to me).

As for CompTIA, in your shoes I'd not bother with Network+ or Security+, as you'd probably find a lot of the material familiar. I mean take them if someone pays for them on your behalf or you want to resume-build, but otherwise having the MS certs will demonstrate that you know your stuff. I'd only bother taking A+ for the hardware component of it, as that may or may not be valuable for an IT professional. I didn't know all that much about how hardware worked before I read an A+ book, and I learned a decent amount of stuff - especially about the newest stuff out there. And it's also valuable knowledge for yourself, as being able to build and/or troubleshoot your own computer(s) is good. Everything else on A+ would probably seen basic to you (software and networking topics).
 
oh well, i dont have to do it till monday.

so i have a few extra days to study, which is always good. cant wait to get it over and done with thats for sure.
 
well, i passed... but what a fuckaround today was for me... added stress i didnt need

i live 2.5 hours away from work, which means every morning i wake up at 5:30 to haul my ass to the office before 5, excepts when i do tests... i found a testing center near by which i go to...

My boss rang me on sunday night, saying that i might have to go into the office because he was crook. He rang me this morning at 5:45 and told me to go into the office. I get to the offie and ring Prometric... i cant cancel on the same day... im about to lose $153 bucks... i wasnt happy, so i went up and saw my Exec Manager, who told me to get my ass to the test pretty much... So in the space of 6 hours this morning, i spent 5 on a train!!!

But in the end i passed... 40 questions, 9 sims... Some of the sims knocked me around, but i was pretty confident with the Multiple choice. 935/1000

Going to have rest in July and hopefully go to the MS 6416 course, which should be the upgrading your MCSA...
 
i have decided im going to resume build over the next 12 months...

my employer is pissing me off, and wont give me a pay-rise... so i may as well suck the life out of them and get them to pay for my certifications. Im nearly ready to do my A+ theory test... what is the practical test like, are they simulations like the MS tests?

Im also looking at doing the +Server... i would like to do the +Network also.

At the same time, i want to get my MCITP - Server Administrator, which i should be able to do, as im going to sit some courses to help with those.

Lucky i travel 5 hours a day and can do all this reading!!!
 
Nah, the + tests are basically straight-up multiple choice. More just quantitiative factual knowledge over creative thinking.

By +Server do you mean +Security? Anyway, To be honest, A+ is harder than both Network+ and Security+, IMO, because of the sheer quantity of info you gotta memorize for A+. Pointless stuff like "how many pins are on a ____ connector?" and such. Then some of the newer stuff on A+ about networking and web security overlaps with the opening info on Security/Network+, so that leaves less for those to have on their own.

But ya A+ is a cool one to have on a resume if you want to build.
 
I have got my Essentials A+ test booked in for Tomorrow... im pretty sure i will breeze thru it.

Im amazed it cost more than an MS exam to do... When MS just love taking money from people... Looks like its just an industry thing now. My MS exams are $180AUD... the CompTIA test is $308AUD... crazyness i tells ya

Once i pass this, i will most likely book in for the practical test straight away.

Work have paid to send me to go this - http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/course.aspx?ID=6416B&locale=en-us

which means once i complete that course, i can have a crack at going for the test. If i pass i will only be one exam away from getting my MCITP - Server Administrator. Which is my goal to get by the end of the year
 
I got my CCNA in 2005 and A+ in 2006 and only about 20% of the A+ is usefull IMO the other 80% is mindless trivia but it does look good on a resume.

http://www.proprofs.com/certification/ is a great place for free learning when it comes to the most common IT certs. Check it out if you are studying for a test. I learned everything for the A+ on that site and passed with flying colors the first time.
 
well i passed the prac test.... got the same score on both exams...

i have my MS course in just over a week, im really looking forward to it... will hopefully do the test right after it...

i want to do another course for the Server Administrator test... if work will pay for it is another thing.

That proprofs is a great site, im going to read up on the Network+ stuff when i finish up with this MS stuff

i have got the Sybex Network+ Study Guide which seems pretty good too. Even if i dont do the test, it will be good for me just to know a lot more than what i do.
 
Oh awesome thread. I'll be keeping a watchful eye on this one.

For myself, I was laid off my job as a technology journalist a couple of months ago, and I'm hoping to transisition into IT. I'm not sure what my odds are, but it is something I really want to do, and have always been a life-long computer nerd.

I want to focus on MS stuff for now. I'd like to be a junior system admin.

My plan is to take the A+ (which I'm pretty sure I won't have any probs with, I'm very keen with hardware), and then take 70-642 Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure Configuration for my MCTS. After that, take another two exams for a MCITP: Windows Server 2008. Then start looking for jobs. Does that sound like a decent idea to everyone? I've also started my own tech support buisness to gain more experience. And been building a few web sites.

I'm unemployed, so I have tons of time to study. I've also built another computer to use a test rig, and back up web server.

How long do you suppose it takes to study for a MS exam, like any of the above for example, if you have every hour to commit to it, and you have a basic understanding of the software? Should 2 weeks be an ample amount of time?
 
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i think it all depends on how much you want to throw at it

in the last 6 months, i have got my MCSA in 2003, my A+ and im going for my MCITP - Server Administrator test next week.

after that, i plan on getting my Network+ and Security+

If you can devote yourself to it, you wont have any issues. I have used a lot of the MS Press study guides to prepare, which work great.

I passed my upgrade exam (70-648) about a month ago, which game me the 2 MCTS 640-642 i think... i cant remember. So once i pass this 70-646 test, i will get my MCITP - Server Administrator

Im looking at maybe going for Enterprise Administrator... but it will be something i will look at after i do the 2 compTIA tests.
 
I starting my Cisco certs now.. Almost done with my CCENT

taking the test next week
 
well i think i am done with MS tests for a while now

i passed my 70-646 Server Administrator test, but it scared the living shit out of me

i was prepared using WIndows Server 2008 stuff... not Windows Server 2008 R2 material (even though i have been working with R2) most of the questions hadnt changed, just the wording

After the 40 multiple choice questions there was a section of "Case Studies" which i hadnt seen in any of my practice Q's. I shit bricks... But i still seem to of passed 925/1000

I honestly had given up on passing when i was going thru the case studies.

Im going to have a week off from reading texts books and then get my head into the CompTIA N+ one... 888 pages of mind-numbing shit... HOORAY!
 
Just passed Net+ with an 876 which surprised myself with how high that was, so now on to the Sec+.
 
I passed my two A+ exams. So that's out of the way now.

They were my first exams I took. They weren't too hard, as I have a lot of experience in the stuff they look at, but there were a couple of odd questions. I got about a 750 and 820 or something like that.

Now I'm aiming to get my MCITP Server Administration.

My first exam, the 70-640 [Active Directory], was supposed to be today, but I did a practice exam on the weekend and bombed so I'm decided to reschedule. I'm sort of realizing that it will take a lot more studying than I was hoping.

I don't have tons of experience with W. Server 2008, so I have my work cut out for me.

I think for this exam I'll learn much more effectively by doing instead of just reading about it, so I'm setting up a pretty big virtualized network so I can mess around with it. I have the 'Train Signal' series of videos for this exam, but there is like 34 videos -- I don't think it is worth the time to watch them. I think for myself I'd be more effective to read the 'Exam Cram' study guide and just practice practice practice.

I got laid off, so I'm just going to be collecting employment insurance and collecting certs for a bit, and working on my skills. I figure it's a great chance to fortify my resume. Now I think my plan is A+ -=> MCITP -=> VCP , then look for a job. I do not have much official IT job experience, but I'm hoping I'll be at least decent shape if I have all those... I'd also really like a CCNA but that exam scares me, tbh. I haven't looked into much yet, but CCENT might be doable for me.

HINT FOR PPL NEW TO CERTS: Don't pay full price for them. If you can't get your work to pay for it, at the least buy vouchers over ebay. I paid about 100$ for my A+ exam and 90$ for my Microsoft exam.
 
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Anyone know anything about this course?

BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in IT (Networking and System Support)

I'm planning on starting this next September? Was meant to start it last year as I got excepted but was working at the time and was in two minds what I wanted to do. I've since lost my job and plan on doing this and that to tide me over until then. I done the A+ about 10 years ago through a scheme I was on. I've always had an interest in IT so thought it was quite easy. Used to be into Amigas way back. Wish the fuck I'd a stayed on at school

Anyway was wondering if anyone has any experience on how hard it is getting back into full time education? Its not the money shortage that I'm worried about, I'm 34 and have been labouring the last 10 years so it would all be rather new but I do like to learn new things.
 
I am going to write my apple hardware and software certs this year I assume, as well as security +

I don't think I will do a+ or network+ though, a+ is more just a bragging thing and someone can pass a+ without ever actually opening a computer so its not very practical.
 
Don't bother doing it if you just want to make money.
You'll be shit at it.
You've gotta love the subject.
I've done it for 20 years, and I'm a senior techie, and I've seen people come and go.
Qualifications don't count as much as desire to want to learn, you've gotta be doing it for the right reasons.
Don't be arrogant either, qualifications don't prove shit, IT is a massive subject you can't know it all.
 
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